‘Saka the best comparison – but no one's like Quenda’
Quenda, a left-footer, came through at Sporting as the more advanced wing-back in the 3-4-2-1 formation first laid out by Ruben Amorim.
“That formation is perfect for him,” Fabio Roque, one of Quenda’s coaches at the Sporting academy, tells Sky Sports. “When Amorim arrived, it was clear as water that Quenda could fit into that very well."
The teenager played most of his academy football in the forward line of a 4-3-3, predominantly on the right, cutting inside. “He has a great relationship with the goal and is very good one vs one,” says Roque.
Naturally a winger, it is easy to reach for Lamine Yamal, also left-footed, when searching for a similar profile. The Barcelona forward, like Quenda, was born in 2007. “I understand the comparison, but Geo covers so much more space,” says Roque.
This is what made Quenda so suited to being converted into a wing-back. “He is so committed in defensive moments and defensive duels," adds Roque. "He plays so well there because the space that he covers on the field is huge.
“Geo is so demanding with himself in the defensive moments. To close, to recover fast, to win the defensive duels for his team-mates. It reminds me of Bukayo Saka in the beginning of his career when he played as a full-back."
The Arsenal forward, Roque says, is the most accurate comparison for Quenda. But he makes clear this does not tell the whole story of the teenager's potential.
"There is only one Geovany Quenda," says Roque. "He is different from any other player I trained. He can create a mark on football that is totally different.
"We are talking about, with Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian [set to join Chelsea in the summer of 2025], probably the best players in that generation born in 2007."